Connecter for electric conductors



Jan. 24, 1928.

1,657,253 P. R. FORTIN CONNECTER FOR ELECTRIC CONDUCTORS Filed Sept. 10.1924 Invntor" Paul. R. FortLn b lpw y H'Ls Attorney Patented Jan. 24,1928.

2 WE STTE GFFEQE.

PAUL R. FORTIN, OF SCHENECTADY. NEW YORK. ASSIGNOB T GENERAL ELECTRICCOMPANY, A CORPORATTON OF NEW YORK.

CONNECTER FOR ELECTRIC CONDUCTORS.

Application filed September 10, 1924. Serial No. 737,001.

The present invention relates to electric conductors, and moreespecially to connecters or couplings whereby the endof one conductorwire may be electrically and mechanically connected to a second wireorother form of conductor.

In connecting up radio apparatus, test instruments, etc., it isnecessary to couple the ends of wires to each other or to other forms ofconductors, and, as such connections are not intended to be permanentbut to be connected and disconnected frequently, a practical means formaking such connections without the use of tools has been long wanted.

The object of my invention is the provision of an improved connecter forelectric conductors which shall act automatically to grip a wire endupon its being introduced therein, which shall function positively toretain the connected wire without injury either to itself or to the wireirrespective of the amount of longitudinal stress that may be exertedtending to separate them, and which shall be adapted for ready manualseparation of the joined-parts when desired and without employment oftools.

For an understanding of the invention, reference may be made to theaccompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of awire connecter with one wire tip engaged therewith and a second tip inwith drawn position; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the severalmetallic parts of the connecter separated from each other, and Fig. 3 isa longitudinal section of a wire connecter designed for mounting in apanel board or similar support.

The connecter shown in Figs. 1 and 2 com- Gil tubular brass barrel 1having .its end Walls 2 thinned or chamfered, while at its centralperiphery it is provided with a roughened or, knurled surface 3 forbetter engagement with the fingers or a surrounding part, such as aninsulating sleeve 4.

Within the barrel 1 the active parts of the connecter are mounted. Theseconsist of a helical spring with expanded ends which for manufacturingreasons is cut at 1ts middle into two conical or trumpet-shaped springs5 and supporting sleeves 6 forming inner parts of the housing and havingconical or trumpet-shaped bores slightly larger prises a housing memberin the form of a.

than the springs 5 to permit limited radial expansion thereof. Thelength of the sleeves 6 is less than the length of the springs 5 so thatwhen they are assembled with their outer or larger ends even the inneror severed ends of the springs project beyond the inner sleeve ends andare there reunited by a nut 7 into which said small spring ends arethreaded and secured against unscrewing by solder S poured through aradial aperture at the center of the nut 7.

With the active parts thus assembled, they are inserted in the barrel 1and secured against rotation therein by indenting the metal of thebarrel 1 into peripheral depressions 9 in the nut 7.

The outer ends of the springs 5 and the sleeves are cut off even andafter assembly in the barrel 1 the chamfered end walls 2 thereof arespun over at an angle so as to engage the ends of the sleeves 6, but toleave the spring ends free for a short endwise travel at 10.

The construction shown in Fig. 3 differs from that of Fig. 1 in theshape of the barrel 1 which has a radial shoulder 11 near one endadapted to abut against the face of a switchboard 12 or the like throughwhich the barrel extends, and at the other end portion it is providedwith a thread 13 for the reception of clamping'nuts 14. A washer 15 isemployed to prevent therotation .of the nuts from cutting theswitchboard.

lVhen a cord tip 16 of any of the many sizes on the market is.introduced into the end of my connecter, it earlier or later in itstravel engages a spring convolution of a size to frictionally grip andretain the tip upon the latter being pressed home. On account of thefreedom of the spring to expand longitudinally at its outer end whileits other end is held stationary, any axial pull outwardly upon the cordtip 16 after it has been pressed home therein operates to close thespring convolution in frictional engagement with the tip more tightlythereupon. By giving the tip a slight twist opposite to the direction ofcoiling of the spring, the latter is unwound to a slight de gree andcorrespondingly enlarging the diameter of the gripping convolution andfreeing its grip therefrom.

Thesupporting sleeves 6, by reason of the proximity of their inner wallsto the springs 5,, serve to prevent the latter from being injuriouslydeflected or upset and at the same time in no way interfere with thefree functioning of the springs, while the bent-over end walls 2 of thebarrel prevent any injurious stretching thereof.

While I have shown and described herein ductors comprising atrumpet-shaped heli-- cal spring, and a protective enclosure thereforattached to the small end of said spring with its inner wall spaced fromsaid spring ev/pas to limit the free radialand longitudinal expansionthereof.

3. A gripping connecter for electric conductors comprising. a helicalspring with expanded ends, a housing enclosing said spring and providedwith openings opposite the ends of said spring, said spring beingattached at its middle to said housing and having limited freedom ofexpansion at all other points within said housing.

4. A connecter for electric conductors comprising a helical springconsisting of two trumpet-shaped members, two correspondingly shapedsleeves surrounding said spring members with clearance, a nut joiningthe small ends of said springmembers, and an enclosing barrel thereforattached to said nut and having openings in its ends-oppo-' site theends of said spring.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set i of September, 1924.- a

my hand this 9th day 7 PAUL R. FORTIN.

